Syracuse Fends Off Iowa State In Five To Stay Unbeaten

Saturday, September 21

Syracuse, NY

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

11-0,0-0ACC

Iowa State

6-5,0-0Big 12

Iowa St.

Syracuse

Syracuse Fends Off Iowa State In Five To Stay Unbeaten

9/21/2024 6:34:00 PM | Volleyball

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the first time this season, the Syracuse University volleyball team (11-0) was pushed to a fifth set on Saturday, as the Orange and Iowa State split the first four frames in their clash at the Women's Building. Despite finding themselves in unfamiliar territory, 'Cuse finished strong in the fifth, earning six of the final eight points to win 15-10 and continue the team's undefeated start.

The five-set victory was Syracuse's first since Oct. 16, 2022, against North Carolina. 'Cuse improved to 11-0 on the season with the win, extending the program's best start since 2010.

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HOW IT HAPPENED
Syracuse took an early 7-4 lead in the opening set via a 4-1 run that included kills by Klara Zarnovicka, Anastasiia Nikolnikova and Ava Palm. The Orange maintained a slim lead from there until the Cyclones tied the score at 19-19 with a 3-0 scoring stretch. The teams traded points until Iowa State took its first lead since 1-0 at 23-22. A Nikolnikova kill knotted the score at 23-23 before a Cyclones kill set up a set point. Nikolnikova again put down a kill to tie the score, and a pair of Iowa State attack errors gave Syracuse a 26-24 victory.

After 'Cuse took an early advantage in the second, Iowa State rebounded to go ahead 7-6. However, the Orange answered with four straight points by way of three kills and an ace to go back in front 10-7. The Cyclones came back by winning seven of the next nine points to go up 14-12 before two Palm kills leveled the score. This time it was Iowa State that finished the set on a high, as the Cyclones won 11 of the last 15 points for a 25-18 win.

Both teams exchanged points in the early stages of the third. With the score tied at 10-10, a Skylar George kill gave Syracuse a lead it would not relinquish until the Cyclones leveled the score at 15-15. 'Cuse answered by winning five of the next six points, highlighted by a kill a piece from Sydney Moore and Zarnovicka, putting the Orange ahead 21-16. Iowa State pulled back within one at 23-22, but a George kill and Nikolnikova block stamped a 25-22 Orange victory to move 'Cuse ahead 2-1.

Iowa State jumped out to a quick 7-3 lead in the fourth and built as large as a nine-point advantage. A 4-0 scoring run that featured a kill and ace by George moved the Orange back within five at 18-13, but the Cyclones finished off a 25-18 win with a kill to force a decisive set.

Back-to-back Palm kills gave Syracuse a 4-3 lead early in the fifth, but Iowa State retook a 5-4 lead with consecutive points of their own. Another Palm kill and a Cyclone attack error moved Syracuse back ahead, but an Iowa State block again tied the score at 6-6. An Iowa State service error and Palm's fourth kill of the set gave Syracuse a two-point edge at 8-6. Iowa State got back within one at 9-8 before the Orange rattled off four straight points behind two kills by Nikolnikova, one by Zarnovicka and an ace by Emma Ortiz. Iowa State won the next to points to trim 'Cuse's lead to 13-10, but Nikolnikova produced back-to-back kills to win the set and keep the Orange unbeaten.

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NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

For the first time since Oct. 28, 2022, against Florida State, three Syracuse players recorded a double-double in the same match on Saturday – Ava Palm, Mira Ledermueller and Skylar George.
Palm led the way offensively for the Orange with 16 kills on 45 swings, her season high in attacks. The 16 kills were tied for her second most in a match this season as the graduate student now has double-digit kills in nine of Syracuse's 11 contests. She also added a season-best 10 digs for her first double-double with 'Cuse. Her three aces also led the team, as she now has eight in the last two matches.
Ledermueller reached her double-double by posting a team-best 38 assists and 10 digs. It was her third double-double this season and the fifth of her career. The sophomore setter has now surpassed 30 helpers on four occasions this season.
George finished with 10 kills and 10 digs for her third double-double of the season. The outside hitter has already accrued double-digit digs four times this season. She also had three blocks and a pair of aces.
Anastasiia Nikolnikova was a force again for Syracuse up front, tallying a season-best 13 kills on 25 attempts to go along with a team-high five blocks. The junior has double-digit kills in back-to-back contests and has set a new career best in each. This was also the fifth time this season she has registered five or more blocks in a match.
Nikolnikova and Palm each tallied four kills in the fifth set, as the duo was credited with eight of Syracuse's nine kills in the final frame.
Making her second-straight start, Klara Zarnovicka recorded a season-best 11 kills on 30 swings. It was the senior's second match on the season with double-digit kills, with the other coming at Siena on Sept. 12.
Greta Schlichter paced Syracuse with 12 digs, as the sophomore has now reached double-digits in three of the last five contests. Emma Ortiz added eight from the other libero position.
Ashlee Gnau contributed a career-best 10 digs, marking her first time ever reaching double-digit digs in a match.
Veronica Sierzant took over the setting duties for the Orange late in the fourth set and finished with 12 assists.
This was the third time in the last five matches Syracuse has saved a set point in the opening frame, as the Orange also erased one against Siena on Sept. 12 and three against NJIT on Sept. 13.
As a team, Syracuse set season bests in kills (57), assists (54) and digs (68).
The Orange hit .278 in the final set compared to Iowa State's .125 hitting percentage.
This was Syracuse's first five-set match since Oct. 16, 2022, against North Carolina. Despite the large gap in between five-setters, the Orange have now won their last four matches that have gone to a final frame.

UP NEXT
The Orange will conclude the Syracuse Invitational on Sunday with a 2 p.m. match against Cornell at the Women's Building on ACCNX.

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